Authors :
Dr. Musa Shuaibu; Dr Aliyu-Zubair Ramatu; Dr Haliru Lawal
Volume/Issue :
Volume 8 - 2023, Issue 1 - January
Google Scholar :
https://bit.ly/3IIfn9N
Scribd :
https://bit.ly/3j3q7ZH
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7576501
Abstract :
Children often receive prescriptions for
antibiotics due to their relatively high rates of infection.
Overuse or inappropriate antibiotics prescription can
contribute to the development of drug resistance, longer
hospital stays, and higher healthcare costs. Proper
regulation of antibiotic use is necessary to protect the
effectiveness of these limited treatment options. This
study was conducted to determine prevalence of
antibiotics use to establish baseline data for audit,
formulate guidelines, support prescribing initiatives and
ultimately improve quality of antibiotics use.
Treatment charts in all paediatric wards were
reviewed on a single day for antibiotics prescription. The
names, doses, routes, duration and indications for
antibiotics use were noted. Appropriateness of the
antibiotic agent, doses, frequency and route of
administration was determined through unanimous
decision of all authors using best available evidence.
A total of 83 children were on admission and 66
(79.5%) were receiving antibiotics, 62 (93.9%)
parenterally. Rates of antibiotics use in the wards were
80.0%, 70.6%, 64.3%, 93.3% and 97.7% in Emergency
Paediatric Unit (EPU), Paediatric Medical Ward (PMW)
and B, and out born and inborn units of Special Care
Baby Unit (SCBU) respectively. The most prescribed
antibiotic was Ceftrixone (74.2%). Some of the irrational
antibiotic use noted are prolonged duration of antibiotic
(63.6%), no microbiological requests (62.1%), incorrect
doses (37.9%) and inappropriate choice of antibiotics for
infection type (27.3%). In a quarter of cases antibiotics
were not indicated.
Low antibiotics prescription threshold was
observed with antibiotics started empirically and
continued against microbiological evidence. Differences
exist in antibiotic usage in the wards with high variability
in dosing for same indications
Keywords :
Antimicrobial stewardship; Point Prevalence study; Antibiotics; Antibiotic prescribing.
Children often receive prescriptions for
antibiotics due to their relatively high rates of infection.
Overuse or inappropriate antibiotics prescription can
contribute to the development of drug resistance, longer
hospital stays, and higher healthcare costs. Proper
regulation of antibiotic use is necessary to protect the
effectiveness of these limited treatment options. This
study was conducted to determine prevalence of
antibiotics use to establish baseline data for audit,
formulate guidelines, support prescribing initiatives and
ultimately improve quality of antibiotics use.
Treatment charts in all paediatric wards were
reviewed on a single day for antibiotics prescription. The
names, doses, routes, duration and indications for
antibiotics use were noted. Appropriateness of the
antibiotic agent, doses, frequency and route of
administration was determined through unanimous
decision of all authors using best available evidence.
A total of 83 children were on admission and 66
(79.5%) were receiving antibiotics, 62 (93.9%)
parenterally. Rates of antibiotics use in the wards were
80.0%, 70.6%, 64.3%, 93.3% and 97.7% in Emergency
Paediatric Unit (EPU), Paediatric Medical Ward (PMW)
and B, and out born and inborn units of Special Care
Baby Unit (SCBU) respectively. The most prescribed
antibiotic was Ceftrixone (74.2%). Some of the irrational
antibiotic use noted are prolonged duration of antibiotic
(63.6%), no microbiological requests (62.1%), incorrect
doses (37.9%) and inappropriate choice of antibiotics for
infection type (27.3%). In a quarter of cases antibiotics
were not indicated.
Low antibiotics prescription threshold was
observed with antibiotics started empirically and
continued against microbiological evidence. Differences
exist in antibiotic usage in the wards with high variability
in dosing for same indications
Keywords :
Antimicrobial stewardship; Point Prevalence study; Antibiotics; Antibiotic prescribing.
